The Attention Economy

Caught that phrase on a tech blog, and mesh it together with one of the current TV ads for a Hey Marcel campaign in which the provider is trying to convince us about how many people are trying to get you to watch their shows or sports.

Does make you wonder -- the one thing we can't manufacture more of is time. So as Charlie Sheen eats into your day of consuming entertainment, what are you doing to combat that?

I can spend all the money in the world -- or earn it -- but I still can't keep up with the growing number of podcasts I think I'd like to listen to (I've got HOURS of a couple of really nice history podcasts, and they never bubble to the top -- yet I still think I'm going to listen, like those books that end up sitting on the night stand).

Can you raise the value of what you do to the level that you will succeed in the Attention Economy?

This is where compelling work on social media comes into play. You better have a crack production and writing team that can do things like Jennifer Aniston's Smart Water "viral sax video". (Go ahead, click and enjoy -- and ad to the more than 1 million views). And, BTW, how'd I find it? Picking up a tweet recommendation from Rod Harlan.

Just like one of the best journalistic explanations of the NFL strike from Bill Simmons at ESPN, that I didn't pick up through sports but saw via another web guru, Jay Rosen.

The real value in the future is going to be a smart web that brings you curation via devoted fan/follower/content producer. Listen in on recent TWiT and you'll get that part.

This is where I look with such incredible fascination at the numbers generated via our CoverItLive work. Average "viewer" staying over 39 minutes. Good luch with that even on video.

I've got a list of 50-60 folks that I've followed, who's opinion I value, who tip me to really interesting things -- many that I in turn retweet to those who may have the same opinion of me (difference is, I'm not monetizing as much as I should).

So drinking Smart Water isn't going to make be better at this blog. Using tools to glean beautiful little plankton from the ocean of information will.